Last Spring the American Museum of Natural History created three Coursera courses to bring some of the most exciting developments in science to educators, and to provide opportunities for bringing that excitement to classrooms and other educational settings. We were thrilled – and rather awed! – when more than 30,000 people from over 90 countries enrolled in our three Teacher Professional Development science courses: “Genetics and Society”, “The Dynamic Earth” and “Evolution”.

This Monday we begin our second offering of our popular course “The Dynamic Earth”, which brings a modern view to significant scientific topics: the evolution of Earth’s atmosphere, radioactive dating, the formation of the Swiss Alps, earthquake risk in Bangladesh, and more.

In the first run of the course, students watched videos, took quizzes, and engaged in discussions with Museum research scientists and educators. One of the highlights was definitely the Local Geology Assignment in which students ventured into their local environments to survey for geological observations, take photos, and post their findings. The results were incredibly interesting! The discussion forum included photos of Himalayan rock formations, a granite quarry in Uruguay, and a glacial boulder in the forests of central North Carolina, to name a few! Each location told a small story about the history of life on Earth. Participants expressed overwhelming approval of The Dynamic Earth, including its support for the integration of the Next Generation Science Standards into educational practice. Hosting The Dynamic Earth on Coursera attracted a diverse audience worldwide, which allowed for varied geographical results and perspectives. It’s a truly unique and wonderful opportunity for all!

Scenes from the Museum’s Coursera Portfolio, from top left and moving clockwise: Photographing a geological specimen (The Dynamic Earth); a road cut showing a rock’s folding layers (The Dynamic Earth); mating dance of Birds of Paradise (Evolution); touring the Museum’s Genomics Lab with Dr. Rob DeSalle (Genetics and Society)